It’s an annual New Year tradition. Every January, the Consumer Electronics Show comes to town (specifically, Las Vegas) to show off the hype the groundbreaking technologies that will find us sooner or later across the global retail electronics landscape.

So what’s on tap for CES 2014? Here are some of big expectations we (and others) have for next week’s show.

New innovations in wearable tech will be everywhere at CES. In fact, wearable devices that provide everything from health monitoring capabilities to the power of a PC in a wristwatch will largely define CES 2014 and steal the show unlike any other product category to emerge on the convention floor.

Angela McIntyre, research director at Gartner, says digital health and fitness will be one of the hottest segments at the event with 40 percent of exhibitor floor space being expanded for digital health/fitness exhibitors.

“Smart watches from large consumer brand companies, such as the Samsung Galaxy Gear, Sony Smartwatch 2, and from start-ups, will show their new products, some of which will be available now and others for pre-orders,” McIntyre says. “We will see a range of styles and functionality for smart watches as companies experiment with designs that appeal to different potential market segments. However, an unclear value proposition will continue to steer consumers’ spending toward tablets and wearable fitness device in the near term.”

It’s also safe to expect an array of smart glasses with augmented reality and virtual reality capabilities.

And don’t for one moment think that mobile advertising and marketing won’t be on the minds of tech makers and attendees.

“Smart glasses are also being piloted for advertising and in retail stores for shoppers to visualize how customized products and features would appear in real-life, leading to increased revenue,” McIntyre adds.

Stay with MMW throughout CES 2014 for the latest news, rumors, and announcements.